Dear Honeyridge Family,

Before Covid-19 hit our country just over a year ago… most of us could testify to the ever-increasing pace of life… the challenge of trying to find a “work-life” balance… not to mention the seeming impossibility of finding a “work-life-spiritual” balance! 

But looking back a year later… especially from a pastoral perspective having just recorded our 54th online service, the temptation could be to describe life in general, and the ministry of the church in particular… as a Plodder! The Cambridge dictionary describes a plodder as “someone who works slowly and continuously, but without imagination, enthusiasm, or interest”! 

Is that perhaps how you may be feeling about life? Your walk with the Lord? Your ministry in the Church? 

But as we consider the lives of most of the Prophets in the Old Testament… or the Apostles in the early church… or the giants of the faith throughout church history… We find that “plodding” in the Christian life takes on a whole new meaning. The daily walk of a Christian is certainly one of slow, continuous plodding along… but it is certainly not without enthusiasm or inspiration!  

On the contrary, if you look at the long list of “Heroes of the Faith” in Hebrews 11, what you will find is that they were ALL plodders!  

Please pause and read Hebrews 11. 

Did you see that? Noah was a plodder! Enoch was a plodder! Abraham was a plodder! Sarah was a plodder! Moses was a plodder! People who committed to a lifetime of walking faithfully in the promises of God’s present and future grace.  

So, what then is a description of a Christian plodder? I think we have the clearest description immediately following in Hebrews 12:1-3… 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 

God has called us to a life of faithful plodding… daily plodding which is filled with sanctification and perseverance… but daily plodding which is inspired and empowered… because we are walking in the footsteps of Jesus… the founder and perfecter of our faith. 

May God continue to encourage us all in our daily plodding as we continue to live for Him. 

With much love in the Lord, 

Clinton. 

 Greetings in the matchless name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are thankful for your prayers and support for the opportunity to meet again as a church family in person over the last three months.

Two couples were won to Christ during lockdown as a result of marriage counselling and they were taken into church membership. We also witnessed their wedding celebration at our church.

In November 2020 we inducted our six deacons.

We are thankful that we can meet together in person for worship.

Continue to pray for me and Rosinah as we counsel church members who lost their loved ones due to Covid-19.

Yours in the Master’s service 

Pastor John Ndhlovu  

I have read the book God Will Make a Way and find myself today with a different insight into missions and a deeper sense of what it is to be called a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. I thought I was familiar with the subject of ‘Missions of Mercy’ but never fully grasped the magnitude of the suffering and the needs of those communities - even still.

Paging through the recorded events of most mission trips, it was clear that our neighbours in Zimbabwe and elsewhere were in dire need and the call to be generous reached Honeyridge. The compassionate response by the church remains a testament to brotherly love. In the face of all the challenges during these missions, that were eventually overcome, God’s love and providence both physically and spiritually did indeed reach the intended beneficiaries, for His Glory alone. Pastor Dereck Stone in the Foreword reminds us that “Only eternity will reveal….” A sure reality that awaits us.

The call to work in the Kingdom is daily and the vineyard has no boundaries. It starts with the Gospel and our willingness to contribute to life changes in those people around us. The current preaching series by Pastor Clinton Stone, in particular, the parable of the Father and 2 sons is a gentle reminder of what our response to Kingdom work should be. The questions from this sermon (not to mention the series so far) must be answered. We must live and work because of our love for our Heavenly Father, His Kingdom and nothing else.

There are countless other undocumented stories that point out God’s love for us. We must show and tell someone of this love today. I do hope as others read this book and perhaps whilst enduring ‘suffering’ of their own, they too will see how our God does make a Way.

May God’s church and His workers remain Blessed.

Richard Kisten